Brace for cotton-pickers.



PATENTED NOV. 27, 1906.

W I. DANIEL. AGE FOR COTTON PIGKERS. ,APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 28, 1905.

I H ll nlm WILLIAM I. DANIEL, OF COMMERCE, GEORGIA.

BRACE FOR COTTONr-PICKERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Nov.'27, 1906.

Applicati n med November 28.1905. serial No. 289,504.

T0 at whont it nuty concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM I. DANIEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Commerce, in the county of Jackson and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and-useful Improvements in Braces for Cotton- Pickers, of which the following is a specification.

The picking of cotton is well known to be a very tiresome operation and to be particularly trying upon the back, owing to the fact that it is necessarily performed while the person is in a stooping position; and the object of this invention has accordingly been to provide a brace which will support the upperportion of the body, and thereby relieve to a great extent the strain on the muscles of the shoulder.

To this end the brace consists, essentially, of a back-piece, shoulder-straps, a waistband, and leg-straps.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved brace for cotton-pickers, and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the frame.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in both views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The frame of the brace comprises a backpiece which is in the form of a bar extending longitudinally along the back of the wearer and is made in two sections 1 and 2, which are connected by a coil-spring 8. shoulder-piece 4 is secured to the upper portion 1 of the back-piece, and a waist-piece 5 of similar construction is secured to the lower portion 2 of the back-piece. These members 4 and 5 are held in position by means of setscrews 6 and are vertically adjustable upon the respective portions of the back-piece to which they are attached. It will be observed that the ends of the shoulder-piece 4 and waist-piece 5 are bent slightly inward, so as to conform to the shape of the body against which they fit.

In order to prevent the metal portions of the frame from chafing the back of the wearer, they are provided with a covering 7, of some soft material, such as leather, and padding 8 A metallic the combination of a back-piece extending is preferably placed between the covering 7 and the back-piece. The spring 3 is also incased in a suitable covering 9 for the same purpose and also to prevent any foreign material from coming into contact therewith and interfering with its free operation. Bands or flexible strips are attached to the op posite ends of the shoulder-piece 4 and form shoulder-straps 10, and a waistband 11 is formed in a similar manner by securing flexible strips to the waist-piece 5. A cross-piece 12 is secured to the lower extremity of the back-piece, and the leg-straps 13 are fastened to each end thereof. The lower ends of the leg-straps 13 are provided with stirrups orfoot-securing means 14, by means of which they are adapted to be attached to the feet of the wearer. These leg-straps 13 are also provided at an intermediate point with securingstraps 15, which are preferably so placed as to be buckled around the leg above the knees.

In the operation of the device it will be apparent that it is adapted to be worn in a manner similar to the usual shoulder-braces and that while the back-piece stretches longitudinally and permits the wearer to bend over the tension in the spring 3 will tend to keep the back in a straight position and will hence relieve much of the strain in the muscles of the body. Owing to the fact that the shoulder-piece 4 and the waist-piece 5 are vertically adjustable, this device can be arranged to suit the requirements of various sizes of wearers. This latter adjustment is also facilitated by the fact that the leg-straps 13 are so formed as to be longitudinally adjustable, as seen in the drawings.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a device of the character described,

longitudinally along the back of the wearer and formed in two sections, a spring member connecting the two sections and enabling the back-piece to stretch longitudinally, means for securing one end of the back-piece to the shoulders of the wearer, and means for securing the other end of the back-piece to the waist of the wearer.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a back-piece extending longitudinally along the back of the wearer and formed in two sections, a spring member connecting the two sections and enabling the back-piece to stretch longitudinally, a flexible casing for the spring which connects the two sections of the backpiece, means for setwo sections and extending longitudinally I curing one end of the back-piece to the shoulders of the wearer, and means for securing the other end of the back-piece to the waist of the wearer.

3. In a device of the character described,

the combination o'f'a back-piece extending longitudinally along the back of the wearer and formed in two sections a spring member connecting the two sections and enabling the back-piece to stretch longitudinally, a shoulder-piece secured to one section of the back-piece, shoulder-straps connected to the shoulder-piece, a waist-piece connected to the opposite section of the back-piece, and a waistband secured to the waist-piece.

, 4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a back-piece formed in along the back of the wearer, a spring member connecting the two sections ofthe backpiece and adapted to stretch longitudinally,

I a shoulderpiece secured to one section of the back-piece, shoulder-straps connected to the shoulder-piece, a waist-piece connected to the opposite section of the back-piece, a waistband secured to the waist-piece, a cross-piece at one end of the back-piece, leg-straps extending downwardly from the ends of the cross-piece and stirrups secured to the ends of the leg-straps.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM I. DANIEL. 

